November 25, 2024 - York Region District School Board and the Markham Museum have received a Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming, as well as other national and provincial awards for a joint exhibition highlighting the history of Chinese immigration to York Region, Chinese culture and the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
In addition to the Governor General’s History Award, the school board and museum also received:
- The Ontario Museums Association Award of Excellence in Programs
- Outstanding Achievement in Audience Outreach Award from the Canadian Museums Association
- Archives Association of Ontario, Institutional Award
Standing in the Doorway was developed in collaboration with community members, the Markham Museum and YRDSB. The exhibition features artifacts, photographs and stories from York Region community members, and contributors from York Region District School Board students and educators.
This exhibition tells the story of resistance, resilience, and the many accomplishments of York Region’s residents of Chinese descent. A three-part virtual and touring exhibition program, including a website, travelling community exhibition and an interschool pop-up exhibit.
“These awards are a profound honour and a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of the community and project partners behind 'Standing in the Doorway.' The invaluable contributions of our advisors, participants, educators, students and families were crucial to the success of this project. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the awarding bodies for this recognition and to the Chinese community in York Region for their active involvement in sharing this important story,” said Janet Reid, Curator, Markham Museum and Rebekah Mitchell, Curator, York Region District School Board Museum & Archives.
To learn more about the exhibition, and the significance of the Chinese Exclusion Act, listen to the Tune In YRDSB podcast episode featuring Nancy Siew, community volunteer, Janet Reid, Curator at Markham Museum; Rebekah Mitchell, Curator at York Region District School Board Museum & Archives, Stuart Siu, music teacher at Markham District H.S., Vice-Principal Jadas Lau and students from Nokiidaa P.S.; and students from the University of Toronto’s Museum Studies program.
You can also watch this video highlight the exhibit.
